Mr Brightside
by xoCookieDoughxo
Summary: Sequel to Sorry. Nate has always loved Mitchie, even when he knew. Even when he knew she was absolutely head-over-heels for Shane Gray. And that just wasn't fair.


Yello everyone! So…Another new (Very long, for me on FanFiction) oneshot. It's a half-sequel to Sorry, the first part dealing on Nate's angst at how he never reaches Mitchie. The rest is what happens before Mitchie left Shane and half of what happened after.

Oh, and the disclaimer: I do not own Nate Gray Camp Rock, Mitchie Torres, Connect Three, Jason White, Shane Gray, Danny Weathers (His last name, yes) the song Mr. Brightside by The Killers, or the name brand/label Converse. (I WISH I OWNED CONVERSE! It's the only shoe I'm wearing right now, xD)

Peace. Love. Jonas.

XoCookieDoughxo. Shawna.

**Mr. Brightside**

A Nate Gray Oneshot

Coming out of my cage  
And I've been doing just fine  
Gotta gotta be down  
Because I want it all  
It started out with a kiss  
How did it end up like this?  
It was only a kiss  
It was only a kiss

The lights dim and a spotlight rolls on to Nate's curly head and then falls down on the other members of Connect 3. Nate, the serious, kind and silent one, Jason, the bird-loving, caring and "in the head" one, popular with animal lovers, Shane, the tall, muscular, handsome and all-rounder. _All-rounder, now, that is. After he met Michaela Torres. _It used to be Nate. Nate was perfect in every way of the Gray Brothers, a gentleman and sweet. Shane, however, was the one with a temper, throwing things like vases and lamps and glass objects of their mother's. His parents ground him almost once a week, and when Shane was in a behaving mood, he gave grunts and snorts of approvals.

Nate always apologized for every mistake Shane made. And believe me, Shane made many, MANY, mistakes before _she_came . Michaela "Mitchie" Torres. The long, brown-haired beauty with chocolate brown eyes that sparkled with everything she said or did. Her slender but strong frame, proved after she played a game of hardcore Mercy with Shane. This was Love at First Sight for Nate.

Love at First Sight. Nate never believed in this stupid quote. You can't love someone just by looking at them. If you were old-Shane, then you could, as long as she was hot. But Nate just turned himself away from this foolishness as he called he first saw her at Camp Rock, when Shane yelled at her. He was mesmerized by her eyes, even though they were teary and red. Nate's mouth hung open at the sight of her even. And when he heard bells ringing in his head, he knew it was Love at First Nate remembered this because she was hard to forget. Her beautiful figure, enchanting eyes, perfect hair and bangs. And, the fact that he had "accidentally" kissed her.

They were playing a game of truth or dare, when Caitlyn looked at him blankly and flashed a look at Mitchie. It was like she was telling him something, but he couldn't make it out. "Nate Gray, I dare you to kiss Mitchie-ON THE LIPS."And Nate was excited. This was his shot. So he confidentially leaned in and lightly pecked the lips of an angel. An angel whose cheeks were flushed red. However, he missed the long glare Shane shot at him while the kiss happened.

Just a week later, Mitchie Torres and Shane announced their relationship and how it had gone from friends to girlfriend and boyfriend. And Nate finally felt the heartbreak.

However, he knew he shouldn't be jealous. With every second being with Mitchie, Shane grew better emotionally. He rarely threw his temper tantrums and was now calm, funny, and relaxed. Carefree. His parents encouraged Shane with his newfound relationship, knowing that Mitchie was the remedy to all his they didn't know that hiding behind a tree, eavesdropping behind the bedroom door, sneaking behind the couch, or acting normal and even happy, there was a being whose heart was presently broken, shattered into a thousand Gray, the boy who used to have it all. The boy who used to get all the girls. The boy who was his parent's favourite.

He was now Nate Gray, the boy who had a dark secret he could never tell. The boy who was always overshadowed by his second oldest brother, Shane Gray. The boy who would never, ever get the same respect he used to when Shane was the angry, heartless soul. And the boy who was just another heartbroken child, forcing himself to live Nate had hope. Perhaps, just perhaps Mitchie would recognize him. Realize he loved her. Loved her more than Shane ever could, even when the couple married and had a child, Keenan Joseph had even written a song when the child was born. It was called Just Friends, and he introduced the song when he was touring in Mitchie's birthplace, Dallas, Texas.

Mitchie had came up to him, knowing that he wrote almost all the songs on all of the Connect 3 albums. "Nate! I love that song, what is it, Just Friends!" Nate was excited to hear from her. "Mitchie, wow, thanks!" "I bet it's about Caitlyn, right? Oh my gosh you guys would be the CUTEST couple ever! I'll call her up right now, okay?" "No, Mitchie, it's not about Caitlyn-" "Nonsense Nate, trust me, Caitlyn likes you too!" "I don't-" But Mitchie had clicked off and the phone line went groaned. That was how he ended up with Miss Caitlyn Gellar as his girlfriend for 2 years, until Caity expected a wedding. And Nate explained sourly how he was in love with his brother's wife.

Caitlyn, however, was not surprised at the feeling he was speaking about. She understood, telling him that she had noticed and pushed the wedding to see if he really did like her best friend. Nate was relieved at her supportiveness, but was also not surprised. He still remembered the dare years and years ago sent at this went on, for a while, Nate and Caitlyn hiding the secret that Nate had held on for oh so many years. And Caitlyn, true to her word, never spilled it or acted on it.

Until Shane found out. Shane came storming into Nate's room, almost wrestling him. "How-Can-You-Be-In-Love-With-My-Wife?" He yelled, the uproar almost shaking the whole home. Nate was confused and surprised. He wondered how he had known. "I don't know okay? It started when I first saw her in Camp Rock!" Nate said, groaning. Nate was never one to lie, he never could. The words just spilled out of his mouth like milk on a table, sloshing everywhere on the just held his head in his hands and sighed. "Just don't take her away from me, okay?" Nate wondered if he just heard him right. He would love to whisk her away, but he would have done that a long time ago if it wasn't for the fact that Shane was his brother and one of the rules in the household was NO COVETING.

"What?" I whispered.

"Mitchie-she's been really mad at me lately and I don't know why! Our relationship is cracking-And Keenan's been hating me! He gives me these evil eyes and he's only six, Nate, SIX!" Shane had curled up into a ball now, angry and disappointed. Hurt even. In Nate's 26 years of life, he had never seen Shane like this."Shane, calm down. No one will do anything." Nate patted his back and sat crossed legged on his bed with him. The two boys used to do this all the time as little kids-Tell each other thier problems and try to think of solutions.

"REALLY? How do you know? She's been always going to her old friend Danny's home, when she met him at High School! I'm worried-" frown lines formed at Shane's face. It made him look like he was about to cry.

SHANE!" Nate said furiously. "You know my feelings for Mitchie and the fact that you're my brother. I would never let anyone else like Mitchie, alright?" Inside, though, Nate found out that he was still very insecure about his promise. After believing about Love at First Sight, he now also believed that you can never, ever, stop love. It just took over you, like an emotion, a feeling. A very strong emotion and feeling, that is.

Shane nodded weakly and Nate took in a breath. He was still shaken up from the news Shane had brought-His relationship was weakening.

~*~*~

Four and a half years later, Nate knew he had failed. had left Shane without a trace of anything. She had cleaned up her side of the room, leaving nothing known of her and her preteen son ever having anything to do with Rockstar Shane except the band of gold on Shane's fourth finger. And that was all Shane had left of Mitchie. Nothing, not even a single strand of long, brown hair on the bathroom tiles, or her strawberry shampoo, or even a necklace. Nothing at all, but the ring and a hole in Shane's heart.

And Shane held on to that ring, stringing it around on a black cord (since Mitchie loved the colour black on him.) Nate however sat at home, angry, stunned and mostly hurt that he hadn't kept Mitchie and Shane together and let Mitchie Nate knew he couldn't do anything else. Nothing else. Because she was gone, gone like Shane's preppy and optimistic Nate thought harder. Shane had lost his mind along with Mitchie, like she had pulled it out of him and drove it away. He kept remembering the name _Danny. Danny, Danny, Danny. Danny? Who the hell is Danny? Danny…Danny…Danny. DANNY._

He was the guy who Mitchie met in High School. Danny. Danny Weathers. And Nate ran back to Shane's home, looking everywhere for a clue where this Danny was.

And Mitchie had left an address on the table. Everyone missed this piece of paper, but not Nate. Not Nate, because he found it under the bed, where Shane kept all his junk, like microphones, bubble wrap, papers and lyrics. Nate knew she hadn't left it there by accident. If Shane continued his music, which Mitchie suspected he wouldn't, but Nate would, he would find the address of Danny Weathers.

It was tucked into Shane's songbook. It said:

8892

As The Bell Rings Road, Dallas, Texas

Danny Weathers.

Nate grinned. "Come on Shane, we're gonna go for a road trip." Shane, too depressed and weak to do anything, agreed with a weak nod and went outside, taking a seat and strapping his seatbelt into Nate's black truck. Nate decided not to tell him that he knew where Mitchie was. He was going to keep it a surprise.

Nate grabbed some red bulls for the long ride he was going for (It was rather late for a plane ticket, but Nate would use the plane if he could.) He drove and drove, Shane pounding his head on the cold glass window occasionally and muttering to , Nate veered into the driveway of a large house. It was short but long, sprawling over a neatly manicured lawn, with some short shrubs and trees lining the front. Shane clicked off his seatbelt and sadly walked up the red brick pathway, not caring that he was going to an unknown swung the keys on his fingers and roughly tapped the wooden door. A tall, long haired man, who had a boyish look to him, came out, dressed in an orange tee shirt and torn jeans. He was swinging a silver chain hanging from his belt loop. "Yes, sir, how may I help you?"Nate brushed his curly brown hair above his forehead and sucked in a breath. There was the occasional person who had heard of Connect Three but never knew what they looked like.

"Sir, my name is Nate Gray, and this is my brother, Shane Gray. We came to this home to see Mr. Weathers?"

The young man nodded. "I am, err, Mr. Walters. Please, call me Danny." Nate smiled warmly. "Hello Danny. Shane has been looking for his wife, Mitchie Torres, after she disappeared from his home. She also has his son with her, Keenan Joseph Torres-Gray." She stated a while ago that she was with you often. Is she in this home at this moment?" Nate decided not to state that Mitchie left Shane's home."Oh! So he's her husband. Come in, come in. Yes, she's in here, she's just currently sleeping in the guest room. It might take a while. Uh, do you want me to wake her up for you?" Danny's green eyes flickered from Shane to Nate. "Oh, we're really in no hurry. It's alright, just let her sleep in." Nate motioned for Shane to come inside. It was useless, however, because he was busy staring at the tiles on the pathway. "Shane, come on!" Nate hissed. Shane walked in, sitting on the leather couch with a grunt.

Suddenly, a boy ran in, an almost perfect look alike of Shane. "Danny, Danny!" The little boy ran into the living room. Nate silently snickered as he realized that that was Keenan and the little boy was wearing black converse, the clothing article Shane Gray was notorious 's brown eyes perked up as he saw his son running in. When his son came in, his eyes grew wide. "Daddy…" He whispered. "Kee…" Shane said just as soft. The child ran up to Shane and gave him a big hug. Shane smiled happily for the first time in years. "Kee…" Shane repeated, crooning softly while Keenan sobbed silently.

Danny ran his hand through his thick head of sandy brown hair. Nate guessed he hates emotional moments, just as he did. He looked out the window, the hot Californian heat slowly tuning down as the moon slowly started coming up. Keenan had fallen asleep on Shane's stomach, his legs pulled up to his chest and his long black hair splayed all over Shane's gray tee. Shane had an arm around his son, lost in , a shadow flickered at the top of the curving stairway in Danny's almost-mansion. _Mitchie._Nate's chest tightened at the thought of her, her perfect appearance and gentle came down, running slender, pale fingers through her dark auburn-brown hair. She was wearing black shorts and a green tee. "Danny?" Her pure voice rang out, startling the group downstairs. "Down here, Mitchie." Nate noticed he hadn't called her Mitch yet, the nickname only Shane called. Shane sat a bit more upright at the sound of her voice, his eyes lighting up.

And then he knew, he just knew, Shane could and would never, ever, live without Mitchie and Keenan. He needed a family, and he knew. As the past years showed, Shane was a wreck without the two people he loved and needed most in his life.

Mitchie walked down the stairway with grace, even though she had just woken up and was groggy. "Shane?" She asked surprised.

"Hey Mitch." Shane said, looking down at Keenan. "Oh, Shane!" She said, bursting in tears, and then curling up next to him. Shane kissed her. "I missed you too, baby."

Mitchie smiled happily. "Me, too, honey."

Danny looked embarrassed, and Nate looked down. He would never, ever, have another chance again. Mitchie had chosen Shane, and, coincidentally, they had been soul mates from the start. Nate drove the happy family home, Keenan amiably chattering with his father and mother, Mitchie and Shane stealing glances at each other, and Nate drumming his fingers on the dashboard, thinking the whole group came back home, Caitlyn welcomed Nate back. "Hey." Suddenly, Nate knew what had happened. Flashbacks of the years waiting for Mitchie came back.

Nate had fallen in love with Mitchie, and it was Love at First Sight. However, she wasn't his soul mate, while Nate had spent years thinking she was. But Mitchie was taken by Shane, and the full realization had dawned on Nate. And now, Nate knew, that Mitchie had changed to second best. Because now Caitlyn Taylor Gellar had taken his heart. Captured it with her quick wit and her sharp sardonic additude.

And Nate held his breath, hoping that Caitlyn and him would make it to step one. He leaned in, Caitlyn leaned back, and the space between them fell apart.

_Because now Nate Gray had found someone who he loved, who loved him back._


End file.
